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Saskia Kagenher
Appearance Saskia has the hallmarks of a classic Anders beauty – fair skin (weathered by years of travel) ice blue eyes and long blond hair with a long, striking nose. She’s tall, with long legs and torso and a modest bust. Her hair is usually pulled back and up into a loose bun bound by a carved wooden clip, but she has been known to let it down on occasion where it finishes midway down her back. She has a heart shaped face and well defined cheekbones and jaw, and her face is displaying signs of her age and expressiveness, crows feet forming at the corners of her eyes, laugh and frown lines visible on her brown and around her mouth. Her eyes are still bright and youthful, however, and she’s fit and lean from her travel. She wears a sensible reinforced leather jerkin, leather trousers and boots for the road, but she’ll wear the Circle issue robes appropriate to her station when in residence at a Circle (despite her reservations about their practicality). Her staff is outlandish compared to standard southern Thedas issue – a gift from a seer in Rivain, its carved entirely out of ironbark and fans into curved winglike blade at the top and a spear-like point at its base (both the blade and the point are bound in enchanted leather strapping for when she is teaching). Personality Perceptive and emphatic, Saskia was a favourite for apprentices at the Circles she has taught at. Despite being a harsh taskmaster in lessons, she became an advocate for the ethos of “work hard, play hard... just make sure no Templars are watching,” and her warm smile and open-door policy only added to her approachability. She is respectful to Templars as long as she is respected in return, and cold and indifferent to those who are not. To those who abuse their position she is openly and uncharacteristically angry, doing all in her power to ensure they are disciplined by their Commander. Biography Like many Circle mages, Saskia’s early years are somewhat of a mystery. She was abandoned at the foot of a Chantry at the age of seven in a village near Nordbotten, with nothing but her rags and her magic for warmth in the Anders winter. Taking to her lessons like a griffon to flying, Saskia thrived in life at the Circle, her life as an Anders peasant sufficiently bad enough to make the Circle a welcome home. She generally stuck to the rules, made friends easily with her fellow apprentices and formed a strong bond with her mentor, a Senior Enchanter who, by the time Saskia (17) came to her Harrowing, was the First Enchanter of Hossberg’s Circle.Saskia’s Harrowing was a close run thing, not because she lacked power or skill (far from it) but because her curiosity was sufficiently consuming that she thoroughly examined every corner of the Fade island she had been drawn too, mentally cataloguing every difference between a forceful entry to the Fade and entering the Fade through sleep. It took a passing spirit of Wisdom to set Saskia back to her task, with the promise that once she was successful the spirit would return to her to talk through her theories some more. After her Harrowing (and after hearing her numerous observations as she explained to the First Enchanter and the Knight-Commander why she nearly ran out of time) the First Enchanter contrived to send Saskia to Cumberland, the heart of the Andrastian Chantry’s College of Magi. The Circle environment at Hossberg was unique – it wasn’t at all suited to academia, actively encouraging practical applications of all schools since the Wardens recruited mages regularly (with little to no resistance from the Chantry in that regard – the political power in Anderfels is, and perhaps always will be, the Wardens). While he knew that a skilled Spirit Healer like Saskia would be earmarked by the Wardens for recruitment, he knew her talent for knowledge and teaching would be wasted – not to mention the thought of her even taking the Joining made his blood run cold, let alone imagining her on the front lines. To his surprise, Saskia rejected the idea repeatedly. The First Enchanter didn’t understand it – her curiosity and thirst for knowledge was usually insatiable to the point of being overbearing. As it was, Saskia was in love (or at least, what she thought was love) with an apprentice who, thought slightly older than her, wasn’t as skilled or experienced. When he was eventually called some months later, he failed, leaving behind a heartbroken - and pregnant - Saskia. Despite sound advice to the contrary, Saskia (18) chose to keep the baby. Then, when she finally bore her son and, as was usual in the circumstances, had the baby taken away, Saskia agreed to the First Enchanter’s suggestion of moving to Cumberland, eager to leave Hossberg and its memories behind her.The long journey south to Cumberland with only a Templar (Ser Ricard, who was being redeployed for his promotion to Knight-Captain) for company was sufficiently distracting to allow Saskia (19) to work through her grief, and by the time she arrived at the glittering city of Cumberland (it’s artistry and glamour a stark contrast to Hossberg’s practical Tevinter stonework) she was ready to throw herself into her studies. Wisdom, as promised, returned to Saskia while she was in Cumberland (Time, the spirit claimed, was a difficult concept to grasp in the Fade – and she apologised for the apparent delay). With Wisdom’s knowledge and Saskia’s intellect and perspective, Saskia drafted a number of critically acclaimed research papers. Through Wisdom, Saskia met another spirit – Faith – and her Spirit Healing went from strength to strength. Now a full enchanter at Cumberland, the Grand Enchanter was taking a personal interest in Saskia (22) and was keen to share her talent with the other Circles and inspire other Enchanters to gain her enthusiasm. Over the years, Saskia and Ser Ricard have travelled to most of the Andrastian Chantry Circles: Nevarra City, Ansburg, Montsimmard, Ferelden – even Dairsmuid in Rivain – teaching, mentoring apprentices, and, more importantly, expanding her knowledge of the Fade. Now one of the College’s most respected Senior Enchanters, Saskia has been sent to the Gallows in Kirkwall, but the teaching and academics are not her only purpose there. The Grand Enchanter is concerned (very concerned) with Kirkwall’s high Harrowing mortality rate and wants to know what is going on – and with Saskia’s insight and knowledge of the Fade, he feels she is just the person to get to the bottom of Kirkwall’s problems. Timeline *9 Solace; The Gallows - Alighting Only *11 Solace; The Gallows - Practice Covers Concerns *22 Solace, The Docks: Dockside Wandering *24 Solace, The Gallows - A Common Tongue *26 Solace, The Gallows - You Must Walk Among Them Relationships Additional Links A Parting Of Ways Category:Character Index Category:Original Characters Category:Anders Category:Circle Mages Category:Mages